For once, teams aren’t the only people trying to get to Checkpoint 20.  Rapid City PapaJohn’s employee Lou Gutierrez is en route to the top of Little Devil’s Tower to bring some much needed pizza to the volunteer staff that have been manning the high-altitude, exposed position for over 24 hours straight.  The Rapid City PapaJohn’s donated the pizza, but was unable to officially deliver the pizza outside of their 2.5 mile delivery radius, so Lou clocked out and took the pizzas on his own time.  The dedicated delivery man will travel approximately 30 miles by car, followed by nearly 1 mile climb to the peak of the rock formation where teams finish their first ascent.  For his efforts, he received an official Primal Quest Badlands baseball cap and a headlamp so he can navigate his way up the rocky climb in the middle of the night. 

A consummate professional with a flair for adventure, he even made sure he packed the pizza securely in his heated bag so it stays warm during the journey.  When asked how he felt about his mission, he said “I can’t wait to tell my wife!”

Thanks to Lou Gutierrez, and thanks to all the South Dakota residents who have so enthusiastically welcomed Primal Quest into the region.  Your hospitality has been overwhelming to racers, volunteers, and staff!

Lou Gutierrez prepares to deliver fresh, hot pizza to a remote checkpoint in Custer State Park

This entry was posted on Monday, August 17th, 2009 at 12:01 am and is filed under Primal Quest. You can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS 2.0 feed. You can leave a response, or trackback from your own site.